Game of the World Tree

Sauron Trade Company.

Caige felt pleased with himself whilst looking at the several obedient elves he just acquired at a high price.

Now that he could observed them more closely, these elves are indeed quite an outstanding slaves. Although it’s somewhat regrettable that there are no female amongst them, their looks and level of obedience on the other hand compensate for the lack of it.

Furthermore, with proper management, they might even sell better than female elves!

Thinking about this, Caige’s mood became even more delightful.

After observing them for a while, he ordered the steward at his side.

“Bring them downstairs and ensure they are well taken care of.”

The steward hesitated and asked, “Should I put them in the slave room?”

“Of course, lock them up,” Caige rolled his eyes and added, “We still have to be careful even if they’re fully obedient.”

The steward quickly gave a nod.

“But…” Caige changed his tone, “Put them in the best slave room. Treat them well and don’t hurt or touch them roughly; remember, they are our most valuable treasures!”

Upon hearing this, the steward left to carry out the orders.

Having completed all this, Caige was in a good mood for the rest of the day.

He played with the Lionheart Longsword then went back to his office as he handled some company matters.

Half a day had passed in a blink of an eye.

Night had fallen.

At this time, the spies he sent to watch Li Mu and Demacia’s caravan had finally returned to report their findings.

“So, what have they been up to? Where are they now?”

Caige asked his subordinates while enjoying a green apple.

The spies briefly exchanged glances as they showed a slightly strange expressions.

“They… drove their carriages to one of the courtyards in the civilian district.”

“A courtyard in the civilian district?”

Caige was slightly stunned.

“Yes, I asked some residents around, and it seems that courtyard was bought by those southerners.”

One of his subordinate replied.

Caige nodded knowingly and ordered, “Good. Continue to keep an eye on them.”

“Yes!”

The night passed quickly as Caige got up early for the next day.

Last night, he vividly remembered dreaming of becoming wealthy, obtaining Demacia’s secret training methods, and making so many great achievements that the headquarters couldn’t help but summon him back to their headquarters to promote him as the company’s new chairman.

Feeling refreshed, Caige started the day with a great mood.

He performed his morning routine, and as soon as he arrived at the company, the old steward, who had already been waiting there for a while, swiftly came forward to greet him with a strange expression.

“Master Caige! Uh… someone is here again, wanting to do business with us.”

“Again?”

Caige was slightly surprised.

After a moment, Caige decided to meet the new visitors in the entrance hall.

Upon his arrival, he immediately noticed a small group of youngsters bearing playful smiles. Their appearance suggested that they were southern aristocrats, which is rather eerily similar to Li Mu’s group from yesterday.

Looking at these southern youngsters in front of him, Caige’s expression changed slightly as he narrowed his eyes.

This scene gave him a sense of deja vu…

“…Do you have something good to sell to us?”

“That’s right!”

These youngsters replied as they smiled ambiguously and then said with a mysterious tone,

“We have fully obedient elven slaves, are you interested?”

“…Fully obedient elven slaves?”

Upon hearing this, Caige was stunned as a weird foreboding feeling started to form within him.

“Let me see the goods first.”

He calmly said.

The other party’s expression brightened, and soon brought forth a group of elves with outstanding features.

Afterwards, just like he predicted, they ordered the elves to perform various commands that the slaves obediently followed.

However throughout the whole ordeal, Caige’s expression remained relatively calm and only sported a wry smirk.

Inwardly, he shook his head in slight amusement.

This whole scene….was just too familiar to him.

“How is it?”

The youngsters asked nervously.

Instead of immediately answering, Caige instead asked with a curious tone, “What’s your relationship with Demacia?”

They were momentarily stunned, as their faces swiftly changed as if they’ve eaten something sour.

“…Demacia?”

“He visited this company already?”

Caige nodded nonchalantly.

“He did. We conducted a trade just yesterday, exchanging elves.”

Upon hearing this, he noticed the disappointment upon the faces of these southerners.

“Darn it! That punk has been here already!”

“Wait…don’t tell me—Is this the Sauron Trade Company?”

Caige: “…”

The older man pointed to the sign outside the company, looking perplexed.

“Didn’t you read the sign at the front before you entered?”

But as he scrutinized them, his initial foreboding feeling turned into full-blown suspicion.

Was this group actually a part of the caravan from yesterday?

And where did they get so many fully tamed elves?

Wait… did I incur a loss in yesterday’s trade? Or was I tricked?

However, before Caige could even say anything, he noticed the youngsters took the elves and was about to leave.

“It’s really is the Sauron Trade Company!”

“Ah goddammit…this place’s already been fleeced, let’s go find another one guys.”

Caige: “…”

“W-Wait… I didn’t say I didn’t want your elves!”

He hastily called out to them.

However, in response they only gave him a pitying look whilst shaking their heads, and left without even giving him a second look.

Caige was left utterly bewildered.

“…What the heck is this?”

He wanted to ask about their connection with Demacia and how they obtained those elves, but just like that, they ran away as if his place was cursed or something…

Moreover, that pitying look they gave him before they left…

What was that all about?

Suddenly, Caige felt a bit irritated.

This whole ordeal left him feeling as if something were off.

Could it be… I really made a loss in yesterday’s trade?

But… no matter how much he thought about it, Caige felt like he should be the one profiting in that deal.

Suddenly, a flash of insight hit Caige.

“Wait…”

“How many of these tamed elves are there anyway? How many of these southerners have arrived in Maple Leaf City along with those two from yesterday?”

Seemingly as if realizing something, Caige’s expression changed as he stood up abruptly and commanded the steward:

“Hurry, come with me! We’re going to inquire about this matter with the other companies!”

The Sauron Trade Company’s branch office resides in the heart of the black market in Maple Leaf City, alongside numerous other well-known black companies.

As a result, Caige naturally maintains connections with these other companies, having engaged in numerous dealings with them over the years.

Soon, while being accompanied by his steward, Caige arrived at the entrance of another black company that’s situated right next to Sauron branch office.

As soon as he arrived, he immediately saw several carriages speeding away, each bearing a familiar oriental serpent insignia etched upon them.

Meanwhile, the president of this other company was happily standing at the entrance, witnessing the departing carriages while also appearing like someone who had successfully closed a hugely profitable business deal.

Caige’s heart skipped a beat as he hastily approached the other party.

“Mr. Adolf! Good morning!”

Adolf also spotted Caige:

“Oh, why, if it isn’t Mr. Caige! Good morning to you as well!”

Without hesitation, Caige went straight to the point:

“Mr. Adolf, just now… did you make a deal with those people?”

He pointed towards the gradually departing carriages.

Adolf widely grinned.

“Hehehe, yeah we had a huge deal just earlier! Caige, our Golden Apple Trade Group is definitely going to surpass your Sauron Company in this upcoming auction!”

Caige’s expression shifted.

“…What did you trade?”

Adolf wryly smiled but remained silent.

With a cold snort, Caige said,

“…Was it fully obedient elves?”

Upon hearing this, Adolf’s smile froze, before showing a surprised expression:

“…How did you know?”

Caige didn’t explain but continued:

“What did you trade with them? Was it your entire stock of elves for their fully obedient ones?”

Adolf was bewildered.

“…H-How?”

Caige: “…”

He didn’t inquire further and hastily turned to leave.

“Let’s go to the next one…”

He commanded the steward with a grim expression.

Soon, while being accompanied by the old steward, Caige arrived at another company.

And there, they encountered an eerily similar situation.

“Hehehe! Those southern youngsters were so guillable! I used a fake artifact to exchange for their fully tamed elf. Haha, indeed Mr. Caige I made a huge profit.”

“But…just like you said, they are too picky, rummaging through my warehouse and touching everything…I only tricked them with some difficulty.”

Another slaver spoke proudly.

Caige: “…”

All throughout the day, Caige continued visiting one company after another, and the more he asked his colleagues, the more shocked he became. Almost every company in the black market had received similar transactions just like he did…

Some happened last night, whilst some just this morning.

Of course, the exchanged items ranged from fully tamed elves, similar to the ones he traded, to others exchanging equipment or items instead. Additionally, a very small number also traded for money.

In short, those fully obedient elves that he got from yesterday all seemed to have suddenly become worthless in just a span of a day…

And counting the total number acquired by these other companies, it added up to nearly fifty!

What’s even more frustrating was that there were quite a few female elves as well among those tamed elves that his competitors acquired!

Great Eternal Lord Above!

Where did so many fully tamed elves come from?!

And… why did his competitors get females while I haven’t?!

Caige’s expression turned somewhat sinister.

His first thought was “this is bad” because it meant his future ideas involving these fully obedient elves was likely going to be ruined…

With so many tamed elves entering the market, he probably wouldn’t be able to make a huge profit!

Not to mention… his competitors now also have females!

Nonetheless, despite all this, he still managed to maintain some semblance of composure.

At least…due to him being cautious, he had signed a blood contract and left himself a backdoor.

However, his composure soon turned into apprehension upon learning another piece of shocking news:

“What!?”

“One of the fully tamed elves bought by others… committed suicide?”

— 281 —

【 AN ELF COMMITED SUICIDE? 】

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